More Red Light Cameras Possible in Smithtown's Future

Smithtown officials will approve the county's request to study high-traffic intersections in the Town of Smithtown to possibly install more red light cameras. 

Vanessa Baird-Streeter, spokeswoman for Suffolk executive Steve Bellone, said the county sent a letter to the Town of Smithtown on Jan. 18 in hopes of expanding its Red Light Safety Program. 

"We have a red light camera program and we are looking to expand that program to ensure safe traversal on their roadways," she said. 

In 2009, Suffolk created the Red Light Safety Program that allowed officials to install and monitor 50 intersections. Now, they are looking to place red-light cameras at another 50 high-trafffic intersections across the county, according to Baird-Streeter. 

There are seven intersections being considered for red light cameras in the Town of Smithtown based on New York State Department of Motor Vehicle's right-angle crash data: 

• Terry Road and Nichols Road, Hauppauge
• Adams Avenue and Oser Avenue, Hauppauge
• Moriches Road and Lake Avenue, St. James
• Smithtown Boulevard and Old Nichols Road, Nesconset
• Smithtown Boulevard and Lake Avenue South, Nesconset
• Indian Head Road and Meadow Road, Kings Park
• Smithtown Boulevard and Nesconset Boulevard, Nesconest

Further details on what methods will be used to study these intersections for the need to install a red light camera were not immediately available from the county. 

Many of these intersections involve a county road meeting a town own road, and will require an inter-municipal agreement between Suffolk and Smithtown before the project can move forward.

Smithtown officials are willing to allow Suffolk to study these intersections, but are cautious about signing off on permitting more red light cameras. 

"Is this just a money making scheme for the county who shares in the revenue or is there a real need," Supervisor Patrick Vecchio said. 

Matthew Jakubowski, Smithtown's deputy town attorney, said if town officials were to sign off on the county's proposal, it would give permission to both study the intersection and install red light cameras as they see fit. 

"The better course of action is a similar letter agreement to let them do the letter study first, then if they find they want to go into the intersection and install a camera have a subsequent agreement," Jakubowski said. "It's a more prudent approach." 

Smithtown officials agreed to write the county to carry out traffic studies at the seven high-traffic intersections. Based on those findings, town officials will decide whether to allow the red light cameras. 

Similar requests were sent out to all Suffolk townships, according Baird-Streeter, who have yet to respond.